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Southern Connecticut State University Student Defense Lawyer

Getting arrested at Southern Connecticut State University Police in New Haven Connecticut should be taken seriously, just like any other arrest in Connecticut. Even though being arrested or being issued a summons by a Southern Connecticut / SCSU campus police officer might not seem like a big deal, it can have long-lasting consequences on your future if not handled properly by a top New Haven criminal lawyer. Pleading guilty in court or pleading guilty by mail to an SCSU / Southern Connecticut New Haven arrest, or a Southern Connecticut marijuana or alcohol ticket can have a permanent and negative blemish on both your criminal record and all future employment background checks.

So if you are a Southern Connecticut State University student arrested in New Haven Connecticut, don’t go it alone, and don’t think you can handle it yourself. It is critical for you and your parents to immediately contact a top New Haven Connecticut student defense lawyer. While it might be embarrassing or humiliating to have to tell your parents about your SCSU New Haven arrest, it’s worth it to get their help and guidance in hiring a top New Haven Connecticut criminal lawyer / attorney for assistance with your SCSU arrest, SCSU school discipline / judicial hearing, or SCSU marijuana ticket.

The SCSU Police Department

Southern Connecticut State University has its own police department, with approximately 25 SCSU police officers patrolling the campus. These officers have the power to make arrests and conduct Southern Connecticut State University criminal investigations. In addition to the SCSU police force, the New Haven police and Connecticut state police have the power to make arrests on Southern Connecticut State University’s campus.

The Most Common SCSU Arrests

As with any college, the top New Haven / Southern Connecticut State University criminal lawyers and attorneys see the majority of arrests and citations on the SCSU campus for violations of Connecticut alcohol and marijuana laws. SCSU / Southern Connecticut State police frequently issue tickets and summonses for 21a-279a possession of marijuana at Southern Connecticut State / SCSU, possession of drug paraphernalia at Southern Connecticut State / SCSU, or 30-89 possession of alcohol by a minor at Southern Connecticut State / SCSU.

As the best New Haven and SCSU criminal lawyers would point out, two common charges often brought by SCSU police are possession of less than one half ounce of marijuana at SCSU under CGS 21a-279a and possession of alcohol by a minor under CGS 30-89. The Southern Connecticut State / SCSU police officers might tell students that the ticket can “go away” by simply mailing in a check for the fine amount. But what you may not realize is that mailing in the fine amount is the same thing as pleading guilty to the ticket – meaning that the possession of marijuana or possession of alcohol infraction ticket actually never “goes away.” Instead, it will appear on background checks as an infraction conviction on your record forever. They will show up on every employment background check and, in this competitive job market, they can actually dissuade employers from hiring you.

In addition to the negative impact that pleading guilty to marijuana / alcohol tickets can have on your background checks, pleading guilty to possession of less than one half ounce of marijuana under CGS 21a-279a or possession of alcohol by a minor under CGS 30-89 will trigger a driver’s license suspension if you are under 21 years old. There are a few different scenarios for license suspensions if you are under 21 and you plead guilty by mail to a ticket at SCSU / Southern Connecticut State for possession of alcohol by a minor or possession of less than one half ounce of marijuana at SCSU. First, if the alcohol or marijuana is found in a motor vehicle, then you will be facing a mandatory 60-day license suspension, even if nobody is actually smoking or drinking at the time the marijuana is discovered by the police. Second, if the alcohol or marijuana is found in a Southern Connecticut State / SCSU dorm room or some place other than a motor vehicle, you’ll be facing a 30-day Connecticut driver’s license suspension. Third, if you don’t have a driver’s license but plead guilty by mail to a ticket for possession of alcohol by a minor or possession of marijuana and are under 21 years old, once you apply for a license, the DMV will suspend your ability to apply by 150 days.

Fighting SCSU Fake ID /Forgery Arrests

It’s pretty common for college students to use Fake IDs to buy alcohol or get into bars. The problem is that when an SCSU / Southern Connecticut State student gets arrested for a Fake ID under CGS 53a-139, it’s a felony arrest. Students caught using or in possession of a fake driver’s license at SCSU can actually be charged with Forgery in the Second Degree (click here to learn more about fighting SCSU / Southern Connecticut Fake ID arrests). Because a driver’s license is a government-issued document, this is actually a Class D felony in Connecticut, meaning that if a Southern Connecticut State / SCSU student is arrested in New Haven Connecticut for Forgery in the Second Degree, then they can face up to 5 years in jail, a $5000 fine, and probation. What’s even more surprising is that you can get arrested for having a Fake ID in your wallet, even if you do not present it to a police officer or bouncer! So if you are arrested for Second Degree Forgery at Southern Connecticut / SCSU, contact a top New Haven criminal defense attorney to assist you in keeping your criminal record clean.

One hot topic on college campuses these days is protecting yourself during SCSU / Southern Connecticut State rape, hazing and sex assault investigations. With fraternities and sororities thriving on campus, and with an active party scene, the risks of hazing and sex assaults involving drugs and alcohol have caused legitimate concern among parents, students, and university officials. Know that having sexual contact with someone who is intoxicated, high, or otherwise impaired can be considered rape and sexual assault in Connecticut. Therefore, if you or your fraternity or sorority are being investigated for rape, sex assault or hazing at Southern Connecticut / SCSU, you need to call a top Connecticut criminal or hazing lawyer attorney right away to protect you during the investigation. Remember, anything you say to SCSU police or administrators can be shared with the police and used against you.

Many arrests of SCSU students by SCSU Police or the New Haven Police Department give rise to Southern Connecticut State / SCSU expulsion and school discipline proceedings. SCSU maintains a student Code of Conduct and a Statement of Judicial Procedures, which it shares with Central, Eastern, and Western Connecticut State Universities. These policies and procedures can be overwhelming and confusing without guidance from a top Connecticut school expulsion and discipline attorney or lawyer.

The list of prohibited activity at SCSU is comprehensive and includes acts of academic dishonesty, like cheating, forging SCSU documents, or plagiarizing. Also prohibited are acts of criminal conduct such as harassment, threatening, sexual or physical assault, stalking, hazing, theft, and possession of marijuana, Molly, drug paraphernalia or any other controlled substances. Getting arrested as a Southern Connecticut / SCSU student will likely bring you before a SCSU discipline proceeding. During SCSU’s disciplinary proceedings, an accused student has the chance to defend himself and question witnesses. If an accused student is found to have violated SCSU’s Code of Conduct, then he can be subjected to a range of penalties, from a written warning or probation, to suspension or even expulsion. Thankfully, the Southern Connecticut State / SCSU judicial code allows any student accused of misconduct to have a lawyer assist them at the hearing, and through the entire discipline process. That’s why it is important for you to consult with a top New Haven Connecticut school expulsion and discipline lawyer if you are subject to a disciplinary proceeding. Follow this link for a lengthier discussion on fighting college school discipline proceedings in Connecticut.

So if you are arrested for a felony or misdemeanor at Southern Connecticut State / SCSU, or you are a Southern Connecticut State / SCSU student being investigated for hazing, sex assault, rape or facing expulsion or disciplinary proceedings, then you should call an experienced Southern Connecticut State / SCSU criminal lawyer at Mark Sherman Law today. The Mark Sherman Law Firm offers a team of SCSU / New Haven Connecticut criminal attorneys who frequently handle criminal arrests and school discipline proceedings on and around the Southern Connecticut State University campus. We appreciate the importance of a clean criminal record and will work with you and your family to get your Southern Connecticut State arrest resolved as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Call us today at (203) 358-4700.

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The Law Offices of Mark Sherman is a leading Connecticut law firm providing criminal defense, employment discrimination and whistle-blowing retaliation representation services, as well as a full array of civil and business litigation services.

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We serve the following localities: Litchfield County including Torrington and New Milford; Fairfield County including Danbury, Bridgeport, and Stamford; New Haven County including New Haven, Waterbury and Southbury; Middlesex County including Middletown; Hartford County including Hartford, Bristol, and New Britain; Tolland County including Tolland, Rockville, and Vernon; Windham County including Windham; and New London County including New London and Norwich.